Luxury Hotels Forum "Presidential Suite Lounge" -- All Welcome!!
Apr 16, 2015, 7:16 pm
#856
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfield County, CT USA
Programs: AA PLT+2MM / DL DM+1MM / A3 *G / Fairmont LT Plat / Ritz Gold / SPG Gold
Posts: 4,077
Decidedly off-topic...I'm staying at a Crowne Plaza in the Philly area tonight. I needed to be at a meeting next door early so somehow I thought this would suffice.
To call this a shock to the system would be an understatement.
One night only.
I've decided to make it an adventure.
To call this a shock to the system would be an understatement.
One night only.
I've decided to make it an adventure.
Apr 18, 2015, 3:55 pm
#857
Original Poster
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: YVR
Programs: Hilton*D, Marriott*LG, Hyatt*G
Posts: 6,268
Decidedly off-topic...I'm staying at a Crowne Plaza in the Philly area tonight. I needed to be at a meeting next door early so somehow I thought this would suffice.
To call this a shock to the system would be an understatement.
One night only.
I've decided to make it an adventure.
To call this a shock to the system would be an understatement.
One night only.
I've decided to make it an adventure.
Apr 18, 2015, 7:34 pm
#858
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Fairfield County, CT USA
Programs: AA PLT+2MM / DL DM+1MM / A3 *G / Fairmont LT Plat / Ritz Gold / SPG Gold
Posts: 4,077
I completed my stay with limited harm.
The staff was consistently very nice. Remarkably so. This was a real highlight. Always a friendly hello....and not a "no" to any request.
The clientele, however, felt it was appropriate to have loud gatherings in the lobby, and in the corridors on the room floors. I haven't heard that much talking in the room corridors of a hotel in aggregate in the past ten years.
The smell of cheap cleanser and chlorine dominated the hotel. The restaurant and bar - which had excellent wings at night and remarkably good coffee in the AM - had a worryingly damp rug both at night and in the morning. I don't know what was in the rug...but it was not good. Gross gross gross.
The closer for me was at the bar. The fellow next to me had been staying there for six weeks straight. It was his last night...and he was happy to be released. I never would have made it that long.
I know I am very lucky how I am able to travel. This stay furthered my appreciation. I'll stay downtown and have a driver take me out to Bala Cynwyd next time.
The staff was consistently very nice. Remarkably so. This was a real highlight. Always a friendly hello....and not a "no" to any request.
The clientele, however, felt it was appropriate to have loud gatherings in the lobby, and in the corridors on the room floors. I haven't heard that much talking in the room corridors of a hotel in aggregate in the past ten years.
The smell of cheap cleanser and chlorine dominated the hotel. The restaurant and bar - which had excellent wings at night and remarkably good coffee in the AM - had a worryingly damp rug both at night and in the morning. I don't know what was in the rug...but it was not good. Gross gross gross.
The closer for me was at the bar. The fellow next to me had been staying there for six weeks straight. It was his last night...and he was happy to be released. I never would have made it that long.
I know I am very lucky how I am able to travel. This stay furthered my appreciation. I'll stay downtown and have a driver take me out to Bala Cynwyd next time.
Apr 19, 2015, 1:19 pm
#859
Join Date: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,151
The smell of cheap cleanser and chlorine dominated the hotel. The restaurant and bar - which had excellent wings at night and remarkably good coffee in the AM - had a worryingly damp rug both at night and in the morning. I don't know what was in the rug...but it was not good. Gross gross gross.
Got woken up twice due to guests making noise, once from the hallway, once from the room next door. Both times in Russian, so may have been the same group.
Certainly makes you appreciate the better hotels more.
Apr 21, 2015, 11:09 am
#860
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New York
Programs: SPG Platinum, AA 2.0 MM, DL Plat, Hertz Plat, LY Gold
Posts: 1,602
I completed my stay with limited harm.
The staff was consistently very nice. Remarkably so. This was a real highlight. Always a friendly hello....and not a "no" to any request.
The clientele, however, felt it was appropriate to have loud gatherings in the lobby, and in the corridors on the room floors. I haven't heard that much talking in the room corridors of a hotel in aggregate in the past ten years.
The smell of cheap cleanser and chlorine dominated the hotel. The restaurant and bar - which had excellent wings at night and remarkably good coffee in the AM - had a worryingly damp rug both at night and in the morning. I don't know what was in the rug...but it was not good. Gross gross gross.
The closer for me was at the bar. The fellow next to me had been staying there for six weeks straight. It was his last night...and he was happy to be released. I never would have made it that long.
I know I am very lucky how I am able to travel. This stay furthered my appreciation. I'll stay downtown and have a driver take me out to Bala Cynwyd next time.
The staff was consistently very nice. Remarkably so. This was a real highlight. Always a friendly hello....and not a "no" to any request.
The clientele, however, felt it was appropriate to have loud gatherings in the lobby, and in the corridors on the room floors. I haven't heard that much talking in the room corridors of a hotel in aggregate in the past ten years.
The smell of cheap cleanser and chlorine dominated the hotel. The restaurant and bar - which had excellent wings at night and remarkably good coffee in the AM - had a worryingly damp rug both at night and in the morning. I don't know what was in the rug...but it was not good. Gross gross gross.
The closer for me was at the bar. The fellow next to me had been staying there for six weeks straight. It was his last night...and he was happy to be released. I never would have made it that long.
I know I am very lucky how I am able to travel. This stay furthered my appreciation. I'll stay downtown and have a driver take me out to Bala Cynwyd next time.
Highlight has always been the Starbucks next door
May 7, 2015, 10:37 am
#861
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
Mandarin Oriental Also Renovates New York and Prague, Will Expand Munich
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20..._Expand_Munich
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20..._Expand_Munich
May 8, 2015, 12:33 pm
#862
Moderator: Luxury Hotels and FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Palo Alto, California,USA
Posts: 17,854
I might go back and try Munich again if they do this, but I would also love to see the staff become more accommodating to their customers. It should really be unnecessary to get into a major debate simply to get checkout extended from noon to 1pm.
May 8, 2015, 1:03 pm
#863
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
MO seems to be in investment mode at the moment, KL is also under renovation as we speak, they will also invest in new roooms too. With regards to the Munich property, at TA some people aren't happy with the building works taking place right now there, but I presume, it's a beautiful hotel and there's demand too. Sorry to hear about your extended check-out request experience at the MO Munich, usually getting a check-out extended from noon to 1pm shouldn't be a problem IMHO.
May 9, 2015, 4:48 pm
#864
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Enroute to ? & likely flying in ' A ':)
Programs: TPPS, UA, EK ...; Marriott BONVOY , HH, GP, GC..
Posts: 4,217
Was hoping to stay at MOBKK but with the renovations going on , ended up in Sukhothai which thankfully was an oasis in the ' financial ' district part of town & is quite decent . Had thought about The Siam but with this May being the hottest month ever , confirmed by locals , & the public areas without AC , that idea was banished . Traffic to where we had to be made it impractical too . Will save stay for ' cool ' months . Seems all of Thailand is sweltering even though BKK had unusual giant hailstones , floods & storms Thursday afternoon . We just missed that as had left for a different part of the country by then .
May 9, 2015, 5:19 pm
#865
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Southern California, USA
Programs: Marriott Ambassador and LTT, UA Plat/LT Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 8,764
Was hoping to stay at MOBKK but with the renovations going on , ended up in Sukhothai which thankfully was an oasis in the ' financial ' district part of town & is quite decent . Had thought about The Siam but with this May being the hottest month ever , confirmed by locals , & the public areas without AC , that idea was banished . Traffic to where we had to be made it impractical too . Will save stay for ' cool ' months . Seems all of Thailand is sweltering even though BKK had unusual giant hailstones , floods & storms Thursday afternoon . We just missed that as had left for a different part of the country by then .
We similarly chose the Sukhothai in May 2009 when it was sweltering in the city (and before the Siam existed). We loved it--and it was cheaper than the Pen and much cheaper than the MO. When we return, we'd opt for the Pen or Siam--we preferred the Pen to the MO.
May 22, 2015, 1:59 pm
#866
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
Mandarin Oriental to Take Over Hotel Ritz in Madrid
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...Ritz_in_Madrid
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...Ritz_in_Madrid
May 27, 2015, 9:28 pm
#867
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: IAD/DCA
Posts: 31,797
http://www.filario.it/ - new small contemporary on lake como, including suites with pools and docks
May 31, 2015, 1:43 pm
#868
Suspended
Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Barcelona
Posts: 3,317
Mandarin Oriental to Take Over Hotel Ritz in Madrid
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...Ritz_in_Madrid
http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/20...Ritz_in_Madrid
Jun 1, 2015, 5:36 pm
#869
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: We love to Fly, Hotels and Discovery
Posts: 1,471
Of course it was in the open as a rumor, but it's confirmed now. I'm glad that MO expands further in Europe, but it needs a little bit of time, they will renovate in 2017. On the other hand I wonder how Belmond plans to evolve in the future, beside their upcoming London 2016 The Cadogan planned opening? Only time well tell, I guess but we do indeed hope that Belmond does target more urban destinations in the future.
Jun 2, 2015, 9:34 am
#870
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Home
Programs: Virgin FC, Qantas, Golden Circle, Sofitel, Hyatt, Starwood, Nectar, and my Tesco Club Card
Posts: 1,770
Of course it was in the open as a rumor, but it's confirmed now. I'm glad that MO expands further in Europe, but it needs a little bit of time, they will renovate in 2017. On the other hand I wonder how Belmond plans to evolve in the future, beside their upcoming London 2016 The Cadogan planned opening? Only time well tell, I guess but we do indeed hope that Belmond does target more urban destinations in the future.